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Changing guitar strings.

Are your guitar strings looking dirty, rusty or feel horrible? if yes, then you need to change your strings.

The first thing you need to do is decide what gauge strings you need. You will usually chose the same strings you had on your guitar before, however if this is your first time changing strings, you have a new guitar and the strings have never been changed or you chose a different set of strings then your guitar may also require a set up because different strings will put a different amount of tension on the neck, or the tremolo if you have one. Please note that changing strings on a floyd rose or a floating tremolo is a completely different process. Most guitars such as strats, teles or les pauls are very easy to change the strings. Now back to the gauge of the strings...

The most common gauges are 09-42, 09-46 and 10-46. But if you are into de tuning then go for a heavier gauge such as 10-52 or even 11-48. If you like doing a lot of blues rock type solos with lots of bends then go for a lighter gauge set such as 08-38. Also if after you have changed your strings, you do not like the feel, then just change them until you find a set of strings you do like. There are also many manufacturers of strings, so a set of 09-42 from rotosound will feel different to a set of 09-42 from ernie ball. When I first started changing my own strings I tried different manufacturers and gauges until I found one I like. I have settled for 10-46 from Rotosound because I find they dont break as much as other strings and they are not too tight or too stretchy, but it is all about personal taste, and the type of guitar you have.

Now you have selected the type of strings you can move on to changing them. I will be using a strat as an example as they are one of the most common types of guitar, but the process is basically the same on any type of guitar.
You have to begin by removing the old set of strings. This is easy, just loosen all the strings so they are floppy and then cut them with a pair of pliers. If you dont have a pair of pliers then just unwind the strings completely. These strings can now be thrown away. The next thing I like to do is lay out the strings in front of me so that the strings are in order (from lowest to highest), this just makes it easier when you are trying to figure out what strings are which.

Now get the first string out of the packet. Make sure it is the heaviest (thinkest) string. now thread this through the bridge at the correct

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